KEY PLAYERS
Attacking
The Whitecaps gave Camilo the midweek match against Montreal off which makes him one of the most rested attackers available for selection. He may start on the left side but expect the Brazilian to slide into the middle at certain points of the match. So far this season Camilo leads the team in shots and shots on target despite playing limited minutes as he has averaged about 45 minutes per appearance.
Having been more of a role player with RSL everyone expected Will Johnson to come in and provide leadership while making the Timbers a tougher team to play against. Very few in the MLS world had an idea that the Canadian international would be tied in the team lead for goals with four. The more matches Johnson has played under Porter’s system the more confidence he has in the attack.
Defence
With Leveron suspended expect Brad Rusin to get back into the lineup where he will resume his partnership with O’Brien. Before his appearance against Montreal at holding mid, Rusin had not played for almost three weeks. The defender will most likely be matched up against Ryan Johnson, formerly of TFC, whose pace may pose problems for the Caps.
Since returning to the starting eleven, Mamadou Danso has helped improve the defense of the Timbers. In his six starts Portland has allowed four goals, including three cleansheets, as opposed to the eight goals allowed in the five games he was unavailable. With the Timbers lacking depth on the backline they will need ‘Futty’ to continue to play great defense and be a threat on attacking set pieces.
WHO’S ON FORM
Except for one minute, Andy O’Brien has played every minute for the Whitecaps this season and is coming off a game where he kept Di Vaio off the scoresheet. In addition to that the Irish international kept the entire team organized as they picked up only their second cleansheet against MLS competition.
After several matches where he was still getting comfortable to MLS, Diego Valeri has firmly established himself as one of best attacking midfielders in the league. In his last five starts the Argentine has two goals to go along with the four assists that put him at the top of the MLS leaders in the playmaking category.
PROJECTED LINEUP
Vancouver Whitecaps (4-3-3)
R to L- Joe Cannon; Y.P. Lee, Andy O’Brien, Brad Rusin, Alain Rochat; Jun Marques Davidson, Nigel Reo-Coker, Gershon Koffie; Russell Teibert, Corey Hertzog, Camilo Sanvezzo
Portland Timbers (4-3-3)
R to L Donovan Ricketts; Jack Jewsbury, Andrew Jean-Baptiste, Mamadou Danso, Michael Harrington; Diego Valeri, Diego Chara, Will Johnson; Darlington Nagbe, Ryan Johnson, Rodney Wallace
2013 RECORD
Vancouver Whitecaps:
3W-3D-4L-12P
7th in Western Conference
Last Match: 0-0 Draw at Montreal Impact (ACC)
Portland Timbers:
4W-6D-1L-18P
2nd in Western Conference
Last Match: 3-0 Win vs Chivas USA
OVERVIEW
The 2013 Cascadia season opens for the Whitecaps this Saturday as they take on Portland Timbers at BC Place. Vancouver is hoping for a change of fortune this season as they have yet to win the Cascadia Cup, let alone beat one of their rivals, since entering MLS and haven’t lifted the Cup since 2008.
There should be a more conventional starting eleven compared to the one that played in Montreal in the midweek match. The keeper spot will most likely return to Joe Cannon and he will have Andy O’Brien and Brad Rusin partner up in the middle with Johnny Leveron receiving a suspension. While there is no doubt that Y.P. Lee will start at right back, since he didn’t play on Wednesday, the left side could go to either Jordan Harvey or the incumbent Alain Rochat.
Nigel Reo-Coker returns to a midfield position after playing right back, while Jun Marques Davidson returns to the lineup to join Gershon Koffie in the midfield. Another rested player, Camilo, will play opposite Russell Teibert on the wing with Corey Hertzog in with a chance of being the target striker for a tired looking Darren Mattocks.
One of the bigger questions coming into the match will be the approach Martin Rennie takes into this game when it comes to tactics. Will he play a patient game and look to score on the counter or does he play on the front foot and attack from the opening whistle.
If there is one weakness defensively for the Timbers it is the right side where they have a rookie and converted midfielder on the backline, while the players in front of them aren’t considered of the defensive variety. This could be where the Whitecaps could attack with Camilo and Rochat combining with Koffie to push the ball forward.
The Timbers come into this match as one of the top teams in MLS as they have gone unbeaten in nine (4W, 5D). During that streak the club has a number of impressive results on the road picking up points in Dallas, Seattle, San Jose and winning in Kansas City.
The scoring for this season for Portland has been spread out over their five main attackers with four goals by the two Johnsons and three by Valeri, Nagbe and Wallace. In previous seasons the Timbers would get contributions from their backline on set pieces but that has yet to happen this year.
Defensively the visitors have injury issues with Silvestre and Horst injured and have had to use Jewsbury as one of their fullbacks. In recent games they have been rescued a number of times by the goalkeeping of Donovan Ricketts.
The Whitecaps will not be able to have a turf advantage as their opponents play on a similar surface and shouldn’t be affected like previous teams have. Portland also has the advantage of playing rested the entire week while the Caps traveled out east to play Montreal.
Vancouver are coming off their first victory over the LA Galaxy last week and are looking for a repeat against the Timbers, who they haven’t beaten in five games since entering MLS together in 2011. Their last win against Portland came in the 2010 Division 2 playoffs when the Caps eliminated them from the playoffs.
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